Jane wrote:
>My neighbor behind me has a shagbark hickory tree.
>Are the nuts from this tree edible raw?
Yes. The nuts are delicious, though quality varies greatly by tree.
> If so, do I
>use the ones that have a green shell or should I wait
>until they turn brown?
The nuts are not in season until early Fall.
> I have a bazillion of these
>nuts in my backyard and would like to use them if
>possible (of course I will be fighting the squirrels
>for them).
Yes. And the chipmunks.
> Also a friend of mine has a black walnut
>tree and has offered me those. Are they edible raw
>also?
Yes. It is in season in autumn.
Harvest the nuts wearing old shoes and rubber gloves. Stomp on the fruits
on a concrete path, pavement, or large, flat rock to remove the fleshy,
green husks.
Handle the dehusked nuts with rubber gloves, or they'll stain your hands
brown for weeks. If you don't dehusk the nuts, insect larvae will bore into
the nutmeat.
Spread the husked nuts out on newspapers in a warm-ventilated area, away
from squirrels, to dry. Even better, place them on cookie sheets in the
oven , on the lowest possible setting, with the door ajar so the moisture
can escape. If you don't dry them they become moldy. Drying helps mature
the nuts and improves their quality. When dry, they can no longer discolor
your hands.
You can store dry nuts in their shells in paper shopping bags, sealed with
masking tape. Include lots of wild bayberry or commercial bay leaves, to
repel insects. Or crack open the dry nuts at once. Use them immediately,
store in the refrigerator for a few weeks, or freeze for a few months. Any
longer and the oils will go rancid.
Black walnuts have very hard shells. Here are three ways to crack them....
The above from Wildman Steve Brill's "Identifying and Harvesting Edible and
Medicinal Plants in Wild (And Not So Wild Places)". You can buy it in
stores for $18.95, or better you can get a signed copy from the author for
$21 including shipping. E-mail Steve at [log in to unmask] or call him
at (718) 291-6825.
Don.
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